


A Killer and The Sound

by Sinalikhatin



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-War, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Azula (Avatar) Needs a Hug, Dysfunctional Family, Family, Fire Nation Royal Family, Firelord Zuko (Avatar), One Shot, Recovering Azula, Short One Shot, Zuko (Avatar) is a Good Brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:20:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26648155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinalikhatin/pseuds/Sinalikhatin
Summary: Sometimes Azula thinks she's a Killer.Zuko listens for The Sound.
Relationships: Azula & Zuko (Avatar)
Kudos: 16





	A Killer and The Sound

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Shameless](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/691057) by BlackxRose19. 



* * *

_Killer._

* * *

His banishment made sense to her. It was the only thing that made sense to her after everything that has happened to her life. The memory replayed and replayed inside her mind to no end. She understood it. She knew the necessity of it. She knew his brother had to go through it.

She knew how it was the prime punishment of his imbecilic foolishness.

That’s the fruit of his stubbornness and disobedience. He never listened to her, to her warnings; he has always seen her as an uncaring, mean, little sister; he has always called her a liar. It was true, she figured, she didn’t relent, but the concern she felt for his recklessness was no façade. She didn’t feign in those moments. Daring, she admits. It frightened her too.

Look where that got her, humiliated, defeated, and monitored away to ‘heal’.

_A fool just like your pathetic big brother._

She thought back to when she brought him back after that successful, bloodless coup from Ba Sing Se, she couldn’t stop staring at him. Whenever her subordinates questioned her thousand-yard gaze towards her brother, she only brushed them off with a snarl and said his hair irritated her.

One knew it was a weak lie, one thought otherwise after knowing her rare sentiments; an indifferent was suspicious of her nonchalance, a high-spirited was somber the former mistook it for something malicious.

Though she didn’t mind it for once, she didn’t mind the scathing glare she received from the lover of her brother when she slightly squeezed his arm before she retreated to her private quarters. Because she deduces that he might realize, it was one way to at least show an attempt from what she never understood. 

The night they got back she requested to sleep with him in his room; a rare occasion at that time in their lives.

Missing him so much was embarrassing, her father would punish her for such a dishonorable act. She _isn’t_ the kind to subject to guilty pleasures, but she contemplated he was the only body she could tolerate to lay next with- berated herself for needing his company. Just like when they were little kids, she told him, and he finally acquiesced after a few minutes of blackmail.

One would deem it as disturbing, she knew it for herself too, but she couldn’t keep herself from counting his breath. Just like when they were little kids, she told herself, even if she wouldn’t admit it, it comforted her when he slept soundly.

She thought back to every time she caught up to him and their uncle or have encountered each other during the war, he saw and believed she’s hungry for blood; for the first time, he wasn’t wrong.

Their father wanted her the best- to _be_ the best, and that meant being ruthless. He chose to give that privilege to her, not to her pitiful brother. Though even if she wouldn’t dare waste it, she was sick of the chase.

Her competence still rewarded her in the end though, despite her moment of vulnerability- of weakness. She succeeded to bring him home. She didn’t realize it at first, but she became aware of what he and their mother always waxed lyrical about during their childhood. It wasn’t the exact thing but she wanted to believe he was real, that he was there. Because she supposes that he might comprehend, it was a desperate attempt at something she never understood.

She wanted to touch him, graze her fingers from the burnt scar on his left eye that he suffered from that Agni Kai with their father.

That even though she couldn’t tame the fire within him, she managed to extinguish its rage before it consumed him.

* * *

_The Sound._

* * *

Competition is in their blood. It’s intrinsic. It’s within them, it’s the music he has always faced before he was crowned ruler of his nation. And yet, even after sitting on his throne, he still hears the melody. He wonders if her sister hears it too. He wondered if that’s the reason why even when he didn’t understand his sister, he understood why she never quits. _No quitter is a winner._

And yet, when they faced and fought each other at that last Agni Kai, seeing her badly hurt and broken made him question that sound. He questioned how competition works between two siblings, he questioned how he never noticed it before.

His body ached by realizing they were all along pitted against each other by their father.

The rage warred inside of him, agitated how he should feel for her. He felt guilty thinking she somehow deserves this, deserves to know that her own, selfish actions brought her to her downfall. Sometimes, it was excruciating to be aware to let himself be overwhelmed by intrusive thoughts that plague his head: tempted to ask her if she liked how she’s living now.

For old times’ sake, he mocked himself to the point he was exhausted, now only amused at his hypocrisy to get back at her for all the times whenever his sister taunted and teased him. He was disgusted with himself he can even think of such things, reminiscent of how he justified to himself quietly when they were kids why their mother didn’t love her was that she always wasted on what she was receiving from her.

How many times she told her to shut up and listen to him instead, when in fact, he was one who didn’t listen to her at all. Or rather, how they failed to listen to each other when the sound was always coming down.

Though, their mother taught him well before her disappearance from years ago. He nodded, reminded himself of her last words where she told him that no matter how things may seem to change, he must never forget who he is. And what he is what she taught him: to be kind, patient, and compassionate; he would make use of that now while his sister recovers. He might need closure, but his sister needed it more. Nothing ever comes when you call it after all.

After plentiful sessions to reflect on how he should face this new chapter of his life, he has come to figure his sister has always known how restless he has been from trying to reconcile and stitch back their relationship with each other whilst leading the nation. She seems to laugh at this every other time they pass each other or eat at the dining table, he might have been annoyed under any circumstances but instead, he was surprised that it was almost genuine.

He’s listening for it this time, he promised to her quietly.

_A new sound is coming._

**Author's Note:**

> A minor part was inspired by a Fanfiction written by BlackxRose19 named Shameless on Fanfiction.net
> 
> It's one of my favorite one-shots (It's subtle Zucest but it's not that explicit, I recommend it for the Royal Fire sibling angst.), and the idea for this fanfic actually came to life when I was reading it while listening to the song that inspired this fanfiction:  
> Killer + The Sound by Phoebe Bridgers, Noah & Abby Gundersen.
> 
> I also highly recommend listening to it, it's very beautiful.


End file.
